Simply Regina
by amUous
Summary: In the monotony that has become her life, Regina finds she has lost the only things that have kept her motivated each day. Will she get it back or will she find something better underneath? one-shot


**Ok...**

**So...this is my first OUAT fic...and the first thing I have written in about two years...I would say please be gentle with your reviews...but honestly if you find the need to do so, tear it apart. I kinda enjoyed writing again, although it was very difficult, and I won't mind any comments you may have.**

**I don't own any of the characters.**

**Umm...read, hope it doesn't completely bore you, and if you like, leave a review. **

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She wakes up knowing that today would be just like every other day and sits up slowly, letting her eyes wander around her impeccable room. Her gaze lingers on the door for a moment, half expecting a boy to burst through the door begging her for breakfast. She silently waits, wanting to see him standing by her bed, warning her that they would definitely be late this time if she did not get up.

For some reason he was always awake before she was. He would always burst through the door at the first indication that she was awake.

The door never opens.

Still, she swears she can hear his tiny footsteps as he runs down the stairs and heads towards the kitchen. She can practically hear the stove being turned on, and things being moved around the cupboards as he gathers the ingredients for the breakfast he wants this morning.

Her eyes sweep around the empty room again and land on her alarm clock just as the digits change.

Her hand is already over the clock when the alarm goes off. She only allows it half a shriek before she is left to the silence of her empty house again.

Like every other morning she gets up and goes through her routine. Her body acting on its own, leaving her free to let her mind wander.

When she walks down the stairs she can almost picture Henry waiting impatiently at the bottom. His schoolbag over his shoulders and the book clutched tightly to his chest when he catches her staring at it. He hops from foot to foot until she reaches the bottom of the stairs.

Which is when he runs out the front door and she can almost hear a car door slam.

She follows him outside and walks by the black Mercedes, ignoring the imaginary boy glaring at her through the dusty windows.

Her eyes remain trained ahead of her as she reaches the sidewalk; she completely misses the yellow bug that slows down when it nears her house.

She isn't there to see a blonde walk up to the door and raise a fist to knock, letting it hover for a moment before shaking her head and walking back to her bug with her eyes turned to the floor. Mumbling to herself.

Regina's pace does not falter as she walks by the school.

She does not turn her head when she hears the familiar laughter of a 12 year old boy. She doesn't turn when she hears his father's booming laughter follow his. She has already turned the corner when the boy sneaks a glance across the street when his father isn't looking, his disappointed eyes scanning the street before turning his attention to his father.

When she is nearly at the diner her eyes fall on a pixie haired woman walking her way. Her eyes move across the street but her body simply keeps moving forward, moving aside as the woman passes by her. She does not spare the woman a second glance. There is no sharp intake of breath on her part, no clenching fists holding magic back and no insult ready on her tongue. She simply turns her gaze dead center once again and keeps walking. She does not acknowledge the soft sound that comes from the woman's lips; she doesn't register the small apology sent her way as the woman lets her shoulders drop and walks towards the school.

When she enters the diner she makes her way to the counter and waits silently for her usual order to be placed in front of her. She doesn't realize that she is not in her usual table at the back of the diner until a hung-over Leroy throws himself down on the stool next to her.

She looks up, momentarily confused on her location, her eyes moving first to the half eaten breakfast in front of her and second to the moody man besides her. She turns her head to the empty table in the corner, her usual seat, and she silently wonders why she wasn't sitting there.

It's several minutes before she is aware of a voice calling her name. It takes a moment to recognize the voice as the waitress'. It seems like so long ago that anyone has spoken to her that she doesn't realize Ruby is talking to her and not about her.

Her eyes narrow at the tone the woman is using with her.

There is no fear in her voice.

No anger or resentment.

No pity in her eyes.

It is soft and caring, with a hint of concern.

Ruby is asking if she is ok, and Regina nods while looking around once again and wondering why she isn't at her usual table.

She looks at the clock on the far wall and is surprised to see that she is here way earlier than usual.

She frowns and wonders where she got those extra minutes from.

Her hands play with the fork in her hand as her thoughts wander to her morning routine.

She had woken up thinking today was going to be like every other day.

She had performed the same activities she did every day; made her bed, showered, changed, makeup, walked down the stairs.

Regina frowned as she realized she had not gone into Henry's room to dust his belongings and change his covers. She kept checking things off her list only to remember that she had not gone to the kitchen to sit across from Henry's usual seat willing him to appear in front of her.

She had not glared at the now useless and dirty car that still held Henry's school sweater inside.

She had not stopped by the school in hopes of catching his attention while he and his father talked.

It had also been the first time she had actually stayed on the same side of the street when she saw Snow.

She is surprised to remember that her heart did not ache at the sight of the woman. Her blood had not boiled in anger and for once she had not gone through several different spells she could cast to make the woman miserable.

Her heart clenches momentarily as she tries will those emotions to come to life inside of her. As she tries to hang on to the only thing she has been feeling for the last year.

Anger.

But what little anger she manages is aimed at herself for not killing the woman when she had the chance. And even that quickly disappears and she is left feeling oddly empty.

That's when it clicks.

It does not matter anymore.

The memories that were trying to force her boy into her daily routine were weak and tired.

She has no more tears for the boy that walked out on her.

No more hateful words for the woman that had ruined her life.

Her routine hadn't changed in the last year, but apparently her feelings had.

Regina sits in silence as it sinks in that she has unknowingly moved past her feelings of hatred and pain. She has left behind her need for revenge and love.

She finds that she does not know what to do with herself.

She has nothing left inside her of the woman she used to be of the only person she knew how to be.

She is not the Evil queen anymore.

There is no one addressing her as Madame Mayor.

There definitely wasn't a son for her to be mother to.

She finds there isn't enough left in her to be someone she knows.

She wonders then who she is.

Who she will become now that she really has nothing.

A bell chime interrupts her thoughts and she hears Ruby's voice address the new arrival.

"Good morning Emma," The waitress' voice is soft, gentle as she approaches the blonde. "Did you get to speak to Henry today?"

From the corner of her eye Regina can see Ruby offer a comforting smile to the blonde and it has Regina wondering what is going on between Emma and Henry.

She sees the blonde shake her head.

"Neal won't let me near the kid." Emma runs a hand through her blonde locks and sighs, "And Henry still thinks I am trying to run Neal out of town."

Something about the situation feels familiar to Regina, and she finds herself sending a comforting smile to the blonde as well.

Regina in turn receives a full grin from the blonde, who sits down next to her in an instant.

The smile fades slowly the longer she sits quietly by the brunette.

"I haven't seen you in a while," Emma said, taking the hot chocolate Ruby was offering her.

Regina nods to the waitress as she is silently questioned about a refill.

"Yes well I have been out and about, and I am sure you are kept busy now that we have a new thief in our town."

Emma chuckles but remains silent.

They sit in silence for a few more minutes and Regina finds she doesn't mind the sheriff's company too much.

A spark of some old feeling overcomes her as she sees the sheriff's lips tremble.

The emptiness and fear that had washed over her before begin to disappear, and Regina finds herself wanting to comfort the woman besides her.

Regina knows who is in that moment.

She isn't Madame Mayor, the Evil Queen or a mother anymore.

Those titles are lost to her.

But she has found one buried beneath them all, she is still Regina Mills, she is not young and naïve anymore, but she still has the same instincts she had when she was. So she reaches for the blonde's hand providing a comfort she wishes she had had when Henry began distancing himself from her.

Emma looks from the offered hand to Regina's warm smile, and is momentarily speechless at the sight of this new woman besides her.

Regina takes the blonde's hand and smiles, taking as much comfort from the contact as she was trying to give to Emma.

"Regina…" Emma's voice wavers and she is afraid she will burst into tears.

She does not expect the brunette to comfort her; she expects harsh comments and reminders that this had been what she had done one year ago. That this was what she was feeling when she first came into town to steal her son.

She expected to be told that she deserved this.

Regina simply covers the blonde's hand with both of her own and whispers words she would have given anything to hear a year ago.

"It's going to be ok."

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**Ta-Da?**

**Thanks for taking the time to read it. **

**Hope you have a great weekend.**


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